Against The Wind
by SnowAngel444
Summary: Princess Anna is being sent across the sea to marry a man she has never met, all for the sake of her kingdom. This plan is thrown into chaos, however, when her ship is raided by pirates. Their mysterious blonde captain decides to take her and hold her for ransom. How will it all play it out? Elsanna.
1. Chapter 1

"Anna, calm down." The Queen pleaded, laying a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder.

The young princess cringed and pulled away. Her fists were clenched so hard they shook at her sides, her delicate fingernails digging into the soft skin of her palms. Anna felt her heart pounding furiously against her ribs, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She wanted to run. She wanted to just throw her tiara on the ground and stomp on it.

"Please, Anna," her mother's voice sounded once more, "Try to be more reasonable about this."

Anna whipped around, her wide teal eyes filling with angry tears. "Reasonable?" she repeated with outrage, "You're the unreasonable one, mother! You and father are sending me across the ocean to marry some prince that I've never even met before, and for what? Some _treaty_?"

The tears began to spill over her slender lashes to slide down her freckled cheeks. Anna bowed her head to obscure her face. She'd be damned if she let her mother see her cry like this. "I..I'm not…" she tried to keep her voice from cracking, "I'm not a _bargaining piece_, mother."

Of course, if she were willing to admit it to herself, that's really all she was. Her mother and father never spared her a second glance, never took the time to talk to her, to get to know her better. They spent all their time grooming her older brother Andrew for the throne. She was just the spare, an extra piece to be used in whatever way necessary.

The thought made Anna sick. She wanted to believe that her parents were good people, that they loved her and wanted what was best. After all, she loved them with all her heart. Unconditionally. They were her family, and she would stand by them no matter what.

_So why are they doing this? Why are they sending me away?_

The Queen sighed, her patience wearing thin. "Enough of the theatrics, Anna." She ordered firmly, "You are going, even if you have to be escorted by the guards."

Anna wiped her eyes and crossed her arms defiantly. "You may be able to force me onto a ship across the sea, but I will _never_ marry him."

The Queen rolled her eyes. "You say that now, but your father and I firmly believe that you will grow to love the young prince." She lightened her tone, "And the Southern Isles is a lovely country to live in."

Why couldn't her mother see how cruel this whole thing was? _Growing to love someone?_ It sounded forced no matter how you looked at it. Anna looked out the palace window at the beautiful fjord, the deep blue waters and lush greenery. _No place will ever be as lovely as Arendelle, _she thought to herself bitterly.

It was then that Anna became bound and determined find a way out of this, no matter what.

"Now, go get ready to leave," her mother commanded, "I had Gerda pack your things this morning during breakfast."

Anna sighed loudly to show her mother how upset she was with the whole thing. "Fine." She grumbled, trudging out of the room.

The palace halls were bustling with servants as always. Many of them gave the redhead sympathetic looks as she passed. Like always, it seemed that Anna was the last to know of any royal business happenings. Even when they involved her directly.

She closed the door to her chambers and leaned back against it. Her mother hadn't been lying when she'd said that her handmaid had packed up all her belongings. The room was fairly barren, save for her bed and her desk.

Anna's sketchbook was still in the topmost drawer, hidden beneath a thick guidebook for table etiquette; a guidebook that she'd never actually read all the way through, much to her parents' annoyance. She ran her fingers over the leather cover and sighed. _They're probably happy to send me away…_

She picked up her little sketchbook and flipped it open. Gerda had secretly given it to her when she was small because the old woman noticed that she liked to draw and scribble. Anna had loved it so much that every year the maid would get her a new one on her birthday. The pages were filled with all sorts of pencil sketches; birds, trees, playing children, and much more littered the parchment. Anna loved to capture whatever she saw and immortalize it in soft graphite. Drawing was one of the few things that allowed her peace.

A knock at the door startled her, and she quickly shoved the small book into the folds of her dress.

Her father strode in. "Anna darling, the ship is ready to depart," he stated, "A carriage is waiting downstairs to take you to the port. Please do not make them wait long." He left without another word.

Anna clutched her dress and took one last final look around her room. _I…guess this is goodbye. _She shook away the melancholy and straightened her posture. _For now, anyways._

"Yes," Anna agreed with herself aloud, "For now."

* * *

The salty sea wind kissed Elsa's face and played through her braided hair and wild bangs. She closed her eyes and smiled, taking in the warmth of the sun and the sound of the waves. There was nowhere else she'd rather be right now.

She felt so full of life, so very…free.

Elsa climbed a little higher out of the crow's nest, her body effortlessly slinging itself around the side of the main mast. She watched her crew bustle about below; checking the riggings, polishing the railings, etc.

Elsa had inherited _The Snow Queen_ from her father, the great pirate known as "Frost Beard" who was also the ship's previous captain.

To be able to do this, however, she had to conceal the fact that she was female and go by the alias of Elric. She gladly did so. Her crew respected her, her enemies feared her, and she was free to do as she wished. Pretending to be a boy was a small price to pay for all of that as far as she was concerned.

It wasn't even that hard; she wore men's clothes, squared her shoulders, lowered her voice a bit, and presto! She looked like a normal, if slightly (very) pretty, boy.

"Cap'n!" a gruff voice shouted over at her, snapping her out of her reverie.

She swiveled around to face the stern, hanging off the side of the main mast. "What is it Hawkeye?"

The man was at his post atop the mizzen mast, a sextant gripped in one of his meaty hands. "A royal galleon off to starboard at 8 o'clock."

That caught Elsa's attention. She dropped back into the crow's nest and reached into her blue coat pocket, pulling out a silver spyglass. The blonde proceeded to scan the horizon for the ship.

Sure enough, the tiny figure came into focus. It was a large ship with sails of deep purple and spring green. "It's flying the colors of Arendelle, eh…" Elsa mused to herself, "They don't usually stray into these waters…" And alone, too. _Must be something important…_

"What are your orders sir?" Hawkeye called.

Elsa folded the spyglass and shoved it back into her pocket. She grinned. Today would be a fortuitous day, she could feel it.

The blonde captain leapt from the crow's nest and slid down the footropes. Boots hit the wood with a light plunk, her landings always graceful. She whistled loudly to call her men to attention. "Alright, men. Ol' Hawkeye spotted us a nice, fat galleon sailing all by its lonesome," she announced, "What do you say we give it some company?" she offered a conspiratory smirk.

A loud raucous cheer resounded.

Elsa nodded, getting her game face on. "Alright then! Give me full sail, men!" she ordered, making her way up to the helm, "We're going to ride the wind and hit 'em fast!"

"Yarrrggghhh!" The loud cheer resounded throughout the ship.

She smiled at the energy she was receiving. The chase was always such a rush.

"Finally some action, eh captain?" her quartermaster commented lightly by her side.

She smiled at her childhood friend. "Aye, Kristoff. It's been long overdue, if you ask me."

He smirked. "No arguments there. My sword arm was gettin' flabby, to be sure."

Elsa rolled her eyes. "Hopefully we won't need to resort to killing, Kristoff."

That was one of the things she never wanted to do. She secretly hated violence.

The scruffy man snorted. "Yeah, yeah, I know…I just wanted to rough 'em up a bit."

Elsa chuckled because she knew that he was just as soft-hearted as she was.

* * *

Two weeks. Anna had been stuck on this dumb boat for two weeks. Normally she would have relished being on the ocean and enjoyed the wonders of the open sea, but the looming fate that awaited her at her destination dampened her mood.

She found ways to pass her time, though. She wandered the ship, talked to the crew members, and sketched various things above deck.

Anna was currently working on drawing the floor plan of the boat. She'd figured that she had seen enough of it to have a good idea of what the layout was supposed to look like. The sun was hot on her back as she bent over her little sketch pad, her dress scrunched up around her knees for use as a makeshift drawing table. _Mother would scold me for how I'm sitting,_ Anna thought ruefully, _Too bad she can't 'cause she isn't here._

"Captain Westerguard!" a man above her shouted in panic, "A frigate approaches at breakneck speed!"

Anna got to her feet and tucked her book back into the folds of her dress. The captain was at the helm, but as she got closer she noticed that he looked worried. "Whose colors are they flying?" he questioned, his eyes locked on the horizon.

There was no reply, and the captain glared up at the man. "I asked you a question!" he barked.

"N-None sir!" the man on watch shouted.

Anna dashed over to the railing to try and get a glimpse of this boat. As the vessel drew closer, Anna could see each little detail come into focus.

The hull was composed of rich blue stained wood and silvery trimming. Everything about the ship was elegant, Anna noticed, from the railings to the rudders, the slender and sinewy shapes and forms were very carefully crafted. Throw in a beautifully carved figurehead and pristine blue sails marked with a large white snowflake, and you got yourself a fine piece of artwork. Whoever owned that ship had good taste, Anna thought.

"H-Holy shit!" the captain suddenly cursed, "I-It's _The Snow Queen_!"

Anna watched as the rest of the crew began to run around in a frenzied state of panic. She heard someone scream of pirates. _Pirates?_ She wondered, _does that mean they're coming to loot our ship?_

Anna didn't really know how to feel about that, nor did she have time to decide before the frigate was upon them. The ship was even more beautiful up close.

Everything happened so fast after that. One minute, she was watching grappling hooks tearing into the deck planks, the next minute, she had her wrists tied tightly together and was standing in a line with everyone else on her ship.

"That was almost too easy." A pirate with messy copper hair and an eye patch complained, "I didn't even get to draw a single lick o' blood."

"Really Hawkeye? I thought it was fun!" a short pirate with black hair and a cheery face replied.

Anna strained against her bindings. The ropes were digging into her wrists uncomfortably. "Um, excuse me?" the two pirates looked at her questioningly, "Could you loosen these ropes a bit? They're chaffing my wrists."

The short haired pirate nodded, and was about to untie her bindings when the taller man stopped him. "No, Olaf." He scolded, "We can't have the wench escapin'."

Anna's eyes widened incredulously at the insult. No one had ever dared to refer to her in such a manner before. She pouted indignantly, wishing she could cross her arms for emphasis.

"Look alive, men! Captain's on board." A voice shouted.

Anna turned her head, trying to catch a glimpse of this infamous captain. A lone figure stepped into view.

All of her preconceptions of what a pirate captain looked like when she laid eyes on their young leader. He was handsome, no, _beautiful_ even. Hair as light and radiant as sunbeams was wildly swept back by the wind and fell into a thick braid down his shoulders. His eyes were calm, yet endlessly deep and blue as the ocean. Anna noticed a tiny pink scar at the edge of his jaw, marring what would have been perfect snowy skin.

He didn't look dirty like she'd thought pirates to be; as a matter of fact, the rest of his crew was pretty well kempt too. He was dressed in black leather boots, tan breeches, a loose white shirt, and a dark blue jacket lined with silver thread. Anna found it amusing that the captain's clothes kind of matched the colors of his ship.

"Good day, I'm Captain Elric," he greeted, his voice soft and velvety, "Who's the captain of this ship?"

Mr. Westerguard, who been placed next to Anna, straightened nervously. "That'd be me, sir."

The pirate captain nodded. "Good. I'd like to have a word with you." He turned to the copper haired pirate, "Hawkeye?"

The big man grunted and picked Mr. Westerguard up by the hair on his head, earning a wince.

The blonde strode forward, eyes sharp. "What are you doing so far from home, captain?" the pirate captain interrogated, "Surely a ship like this isn't just for carrying idle cargo?"

Mr. Westerguard eyes flashed with defiance. "T-That's none of your business, pirate!"

The blonde sighed, running slender fingers through wild pale locks. "So, it's going to be like that, eh…?" he snapped his fingers.

Hawkeye slammed the man's head into the deck roughly, causing Anna to inwardly cringe. _That looked like it hurt…_

"This is your last chance," the pirate captain said wearily, "What are you doing out here?"

Hawkeye yanked the man's head up from the wooden planks and Anna gasped. The man's face was oozing blood. His nose was most certainly broken.

Anna's gasp, however, had drawn attention. The blonde's deep blue gaze fell to her. Anna involuntarily held her breath as the captain's eyes studied her intently. Suddenly, the blonde's eyes locked onto something on Anna's head—her tiara. A smirk of recognition passed over his features.

"Well, well, now I know why," he suddenly turned to her, "It looks like we are in the presence of royalty, gentlemen."

Anna tried to back away as he drew closer, but a pale hand stopped her. Suddenly the blonde had gotten close enough to whisper to her. "Relax." It was one nearly inaudible word, but for some reason the princess obeyed.

The pirate captain took her hands in his (they were surprisingly soft), then turned to face Mr. Westerguard. "I'll be taking the princess now," he stated casually, "I trust you know your way back to Arendelle?"

Mr. Westerguard grit his teeth, but nodded. Anna's heart dropped. _Was she being kidnapped by pirates?! _Gods, this was terrifying.

The blonde smirked. "Good. I have a message for you: _I, Captain Elric of The Snow Queen, hereby ransom Princess—_what's your name, dear?" he looked at the redhead, who appeared to be trembling.

"A-Anna," she stuttered nervously, "My name is Anna."

The captain smiled at her. "What a pretty name." The compliment was so genuine that Anna actually felt a blush rise to her cheeks. _Was he trying to comfort me because I was scared?_ Even Anna knew how ridiculous that concept sounded.

"_I hereby ransom Princess Anna of Arendelle for the price of one million chests of gold."_

The rest of the pirate crew all howled in gold-thirsty cheer. Even Anna was impressed by the sum requested.

A gentle hand at her back began guiding her towards the boarding planks. "Right this way, your highness." His light voice instructed behind her.

"Hey captain?" a scruffy blonde man approached them, "They've got a ton of good stuff down below, can we take it?"

Anna watched the captain ponder this for a moment before nodding. "Take all the valuables, but leave all the supplies be," he ordered, "There are women and children on this boat, Kristoff. We want to make sure they make it back to port in comfort."

The scruffy man nodded. "Aye, captain." He gave Anna a friendly wink before leaving.

"That was my quartermaster," the captain explained as they began to cross the narrow wooden plank to the other ship, "He's a good man, I promise."

Anna could only nod in response. She was still in shock that the captain had been so lenient with raiding the ship. _Maybe he's not so bad after all…_What was she thinking? Of course he was bad! He was a pirate, for crying out loud! This man was kidnapping her for ransom!

Suddenly, the ships swayed and Anna lost her balance. She stumbled a bit before a steady hand held her shoulders and kept her from falling into the ocean.

"Careful," the blonde cautioned, "I'd rather not have to dive in after you, your highness."

Anna grimaced. "I'd be able to balance better if my hands weren't bound, _captain_." She quipped back, harsher than intended. Even she wanted to cringe at how bitter she sounded.

There was a pause as they continued across. Finally the captain spoke, his voice a quiet murmur next to her ear. "I'm sorry I can't untie you just yet, it would make the men uneasy," he said, somewhat apologetically, "Wait until we get inside."

Anna bit her lip, partly in irritation and partly because no one has ever whispered in her ear like that before. She hated the butterflies that currently inhabited her stomach.

Once aboard _The Snow Queen_, Anna was led to an ornate door on the main deck. A small silver plaque above it read "Captain's Quarters". _He's taking me to his room? Oh no, oh no…._Her mind began to whirl with all sorts of crazy and terrible scenarios. She'd heard the tales of pirates and how vile and ruthless they were. Was he going to take advantage of her? Steal her innocence? Her heart began to pound erratically against her ribs.

None of that happened though, because as soon as the door closed, the captain untied the ropes around her wrists.

"I apologize for being so rough, your highness," he apologized, examining her wrists, "I do have a reputation to uphold."

Anna didn't know how to respond to that, so she remained silent. She watched as the blonde captain walked over to his desk and removed a small jar of salve. He held it up like a peace offering. "This should help with the chafing."

Anna took it and cautiously applied it to her wrists. The blonde watched her the entire time. He hadn't been lying, the cooling effect took place almost instantly, and Anna sighed with relief.

"Better?" he asked.

Anna nodded.

"Good," he said with a slight smile, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must check on my crew."

Anna's brows furrowed in confusion. "Wait, you're just going to leave me here? What if I just walk out?"

The blonde chuckled wryly. "I do not recommend that, your highness," he advised, "While I am respectful of a woman's virtue, some of my men are not."

Anna flinched at the veiled threat. _So the stories were true after all?_ She was being held hostage on a ship with potential rapists. That was very reassuring. Not.

"Do not worry," the captain told her, "As long as you are in here, no harm will come to you."

Anna nodded, hoping she didn't appear as uneasy as she felt.

The captain stopped at the door. "Oh, and welcome aboard."

* * *

**I'm back! With another Elsanna fic! (Big surprise, right?) Anyways, this idea just hit me while I was playing Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag. I was sailing along in the game and just suddenly thought "Hey, I wonder what Elsa would be like as a pirate?", and of course my brain gave birth to a crazy Elsanna plotline. And now we have this. So, uh, let me know what you think?**


	2. Chapter 2

Elsa heaved a sigh when the door closed. The events of that day were starting to catch up with her. _I've kidnapped a princess…now what?_ Anna would definitely have to stay in her room, because there was no way in hell Elsa was going to trust her crew not to keep their hands off her. The princess was…well, she was quite beautiful, and some of the more roguish men on her ship probably wouldn't think twice about hitting on her. Elsa would make sure the girl was kept safe, it was the least she could do considering she'd taken her hostage.

The blonde straightened her posture, striding out onto the center of the main deck. Her crew was waiting for her. They were curious as to what the next move was.

"Alright men," Elsa caught everyman's attention, "Excellent job today. We've reaped quite the plunder, so how about we celebrate?"

A deafening cheer filled the air, along with several fists raised in victory.

Elsa nodded. "Set a course for Dun Broch." She ordered, "Tonight, we make merry!"

The men cheered as they scrambled to their stations. Elsa smiled at how eager her crew was to have a night on the town. It would be good to get the madness out of their systems so they won't be so antsy. Anna would probably be safer then, too.

Elsa bit her lip when she remembered the princess. She would be staying in her quarters, which would make Elsa's situation a little more difficult. Hopefully, she would get through this without her secret being discovered. _Of course, the poor girl seemed terrified of me, so maybe she'll try to keep her distance, _Elsa pondered idly. _Yes, keeping a safe distance between us would probably be for the best._

"Stuck in your head again, Captain?" Kristoff's voice startled her. Usually, she was able to maintain her cool façade. Recent events just had her wits frazzled, it seemed.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't you have something you need to be doing?" she grumbled.

Kristoff chuckled. "Easy there, man. I just thought you could use some company."

Elsa huffed and crossed her arms. "I'm fine," at his unconvinced look her mask fell, "Okay, maybe I'm a little worried over this whole 'ransom' thing. It was a little impulsive of me…"

The scruffy man grinned. "Well, it doesn't hurt that the princess is quite easy on the eyes."

"Don't even think about it," she dead panned, "She's off limits, and I expect you to make sure the boys know that as well."

This only made the man's grin wider. "Why, Captain," he began playfully, "I had no idea you fancied redheads."

Elsa's eyes widened dramatically as a light pink blush spread across her pale cheeks. She got angry with herself for reacting like this. It only served to prove him partially right.

"I-I do not!" she barked, "She's a _princess_, you numbskull! If we return her in anything less than fine condition, we'll be executed on the spot!"

"Easy there, captain," he placated her, holding up his hands in defense, "I was only jesting…Though I could definitely see why you'd want her all to yourself."

Elsa growled in aggravation, wanting to pull her hair out. "Just go do your job or something."

Now he was laughing. "Aye, aye, captain." He sauntered away.

Elsa watched his retreating form, wanting nothing more than to see it flying overboard.

* * *

Anna had to admit, the captain's quarters were pretty cool. There were tons of little trinkets and bobbles lined about the walls like artifacts in a museum. She studied each one thoroughly, wondering what sort of story they held behind them. On the desk were several rolls of parchment, each one a depicting various maps. Anna's eyes traced the lines, her inner artist appreciating every small detail the cartographer had included in their work.

She moved on to a large bookshelf, neatly filled to the brim with various tomes and volumes. Anna gleefully noted some books that she'd never seen before, and some that her mother had told her 'proper women' never read. She took one off the shelf and looked at the cover. "_Grimm's Fairytales"…Mother always said that fine young ladies had no time for such nonsense…_A wicked mirth rose up deep within her stomach, the kind a mischievous child attained when they got away with something naughty, _but Mother isn't here!_

She waltzed over to a comfy looking chair and plopped down (her mother would be furious at that, too) with the book in her lap. She flipped through the pages and proceeded to read a few of the stories. They were slightly dark, but very interesting, she decided. The tales within the pages captivated her, making her want to go on an exciting journey of her own someday. That's probably why her mother didn't want her to read things like that. It would make her long for freedom and adventure. _Something I could never have,_ she realized.

Although, if getting kidnapped by pirates and held for ransom didn't constitute an adventure, Anna wasn't sure what did.

"You enjoy fairytales?" a soft voice asked her.

Anna hadn't even noticed the captain's arrival, causing her to squeak in surprise and drop the book gracelessly on the floor.

The blonde looked apologetic as he bent down to retrieve the book. "I apologize for startling you."

The princess quickly shook her head, embarrassment flushing her freckled cheeks. "N-No, it's uh, it's fine. Really. A-And I wasn't reading them, I was just, um," She scrambled to collect herself, "Skimming."

The captain arched an eyebrow, seeming thoroughly amused. "I see." He commented with a slight chuckle, "Which was your favorite?"

Anna stood up and smoothed her hands over her dress awkwardly. "L-Like I said, I was just skimming, so…"

"Right," he nodded with a smile, "Well, when I 'skimmed' it last, I found one of my favorites to be _The Master Thief_."

The princess finally calmed herself, allowing for a half smirk and a playful eye roll. "Of course that one would be your favorite, considering your occupation."

The captain shrugged. "The thief in the story is a very intelligent man who only steals from the rich and selfish. I also like the message of the tale as well."

Anna looked curious, her eyes regarding the captain with wary intrigue. "Oh? And what is that?"

The blonde grinned, rubbing a hand over the book's cover. "_'A man's best weapon is his brain'_," he shook his head and slid the book back into its place on the shelf, a faint sadness lingering in his eyes, "It's also something my father would always tell me."

Anna watched the young man for a moment. He was so tragically _beautiful_, with the light from the window streaming in to catch the silky pale strands of hair and cast light upon smooth porcelain skin. Amidst that halo of light, however, were two deep blue eyes that swirled with dark storm clouds. The contrast was breathtaking.

The princess cleared her throat. "Your father sounds like an interesting man."

The captain's head jerked around to face her, as if she had snapped him out of a trance. His eyes regarded her carefully, storm clouds replaced with curiosity. "He was," he said finally, the softness of his voice even more pronounced. He nodded to her. "What about your parents?"

The princess sighed and sat back down in the chair, the captain following suit by seating himself on a wooden stool across from her.

"My parents are always very busy," Anna said quietly, but then shook her head quickly as if to disagree with her previous statement, "They love me, though! I know they do…they just…they have a whole kingdom to run, so raising a daughter isn't a major priority on their long list of duties, you know?...I mean, thousands of people are depending on them, so…so…why should I be special...?"

Anna hadn't realized she'd been crying until a soft white cloth was being dabbed at her moistened eyes.

* * *

Elsa wasn't sure how to feel when she saw the girl in front of her start to cry. The princess' quivering voice broke her heart. The blonde quickly reached into her jacket and pulled out a white handkerchief, dabbing gently at the tearful eyes. As the redhead sniffled, Elsa finally put a name to this feeling she had welling up deep in her gut. It was anger.

_Who would neglect such a kind girl? Their own daughter, no less!_

"Anna." Misty teal eyes looked up at hers. _Were they always that pretty a color? Maybe it's just because I'm so close. _Elsa pulled back slightly, putting a safer distance between them before she continued. "Why were you on that ship?" she tried to keep her voice calm and steady, as she'd practiced so many times. Her anger at the king and queen was making it difficult.

The princess shook her head and stood up, Elsa noticed that her shoulders seemed a bit tense. "I was being sent to ensure a treaty took place." She stated vaguely, looking at the far wall. Her eyes refused to meet the captain's.

"A treaty?" Elsa had to know more. There was something Anna wasn't telling her, something important. The blonde shifted forward curiously.

Anna turned away slightly, her posture suddenly guarded. "Yes, but I don't think I should tell you any more than that," she said quietly, her eyes falling to the floor, "After all, you're…" she bit her bottom lip and turned around completely, her back facing Elsa now. The princess didn't finish her statement, but the captain got the message loud and clear.

_Of course she doesn't trust me, I'm a pirate for heaven sake! Even I wouldn't trust me!_ It didn't make the act of Anna shutting her out any less painful, though. If anything, it reminded Elsa of how different they were from each other. A princess and a pirate could never be friends. Anna came from an entirely different world than her own, one that Elsa would never be able to reach.

The captain stood up, sighing as she dusted herself off. "We should be docking soon," she excused herself, "I must go up to direct my men. I'll be back to check up on you afterwards." Her voice sounded pained and clipped, even to her own ears.

The princess didn't move or say a single word, even as Elsa closed the cabin doors.

* * *

As the door shut, Anna wanted to kick herself. She'd obviously hurt the blonde's feelings. _He's been nothing but nice to me, aside from the whole kidnapping thing…_Okay, so maybe Anna had a few legs to stand on in her argument, but the captain could've been a lot worse. He could've kept her tied up, thrown her in the brig, or even allowed his crew to have her. She shuddered, _Elric would never do that. I hope._

"I'll just apologize to him when he comes back from docking the ship." She concluded aloud. Her brow furrowed. _Speaking of which, where are where docking at?_

* * *

Heart heavy, Elsa made her way to the ship deck. With her captain's mask firmly in place, she gave direction to her men as the ship docked in the port of Dun Broch. Everything went off without a hitch, and her crew was eager to go out and enjoy themselves. When all was taken care of, she set them free to do what they wished, knowing they would either visit the local tavern or the whore house. She didn't care for either of those places. Too loud and too raunchy.

She had to go check on the princess. _Anna._ The name felt like a weight on her shoulders. The captain was feeling guilty for taking Anna away, for stealing her freedom for monetary gain. The poor girl was being forced to stay in her bedroom, trapped behind that solid wooden door. How traumatizing that must be! _She must hate me,_ she lamented, _I'm the worst. Why did I have to steal her away?_

Elsa heaved a heavy sigh as she made her way back to the captain's quarters. She opened the door to find Anna seated in the same chair as before, waiting patiently for her return. The redhead stood up quickly when she saw her. "U-Um, I wanted to apologize—"

"No, please," Elsa stopped her. Anna had done nothing wrong by choosing not to trust her. If anything, Elsa was wrong in expecting to be trusted. "You do not need to apologize to me. You have done nothing wrong, your highness."

The princess took a step closer, her teals eyes filled with guilt and pain. "Call me Anna," she pleaded quietly, "And captain, I wanted to thank you for treating me so kindly, even if you are the one who is keeping me here."

Elsa couldn't believe what she was hearing. The princess was saying 'thank you'?! Was this what they called 'Stockholm Syndrome'? Surely, there was no way Anna would want to be in the position she was in. The blonde was completely floored.

"Do you not hear your own words?" Elsa questioned incredulously, "I am keeping you here as a captive! You certainly have nothing to thank me for, if anything you should be angry with me!" Elsa had to take a deep breath and calm herself. Her voice was starting to become higher with her emotions.

"I know that," Anna's voice sounded small, "I know, I just…" she trailed off, her eyes gazing out the window as she fell silent. Several tense moments passed like that where neither said anything. The only sound in the silence was the faint hush of waves against the hull of the ship and the distant cry of gulls on the wind.

Finally Elsa spoke. Her voice sounded strange, weak and quavering. "I'm sorry." She whispered. The blonde needed Anna to know how much she regretted taking her hostage, she needed the princess to understand how guilty she felt for keeping her as a prisoner. _Father would laugh at me, _Elsa reminded herself, '_a pirate should always live without regret', he'd say._ How weak she was.

Anna cleared her throat, drawing her attention. "Captain…" her voice sounded shy, but lacking in sadness or accusation, "Would you mind escorting me around the ship? I'd like to get some fresh air, if you don't mind…" It was an invitation. A harmless question without any malicious intent.

Elsa's mouth formed a small 'o' shape. She was expecting bitterness, or even withdrawal from her captive. But the princess seemed willing to move past it all. Heck, she even wanted to spend time with her! _How could someone be so forgiving?_

Elsa realized that she didn't give an answer when Anna shifted nervously and began to ramble. "I-I mean," the redhead spoke again, "You don't have to, if you do not wish to do so. I'm sorry for being so demanding. O-On second thought, forget I even asked. I-I mean, you're the captain, and here I am ordering you to show me around. That's really bothersome to you, and I just—"

"Anna." Elsa stopped her gently. Which was hard, because watching the princess ramble nervously was very interesting to observe. _Blushing suits her_, Elsa thought idly. "It's quite alright," she said, "I'd be happy to escort you."

Teal eyes lit up. "Really? Thank you so much!" her tone was light and cheery, as if Elsa had just given her a wonderful gift, "To be honest, I've wanted to tour this ship ever since I first saw it approaching on the waves. The detailing and design are simply incredible!"

Elsa raised an amused eyebrow. "I am happy to hear you say that." And she truly was. A pirate's ship was an extension of themselves. To complement _The Snow Queen_ was to complement its captain. "Shall we?" she offered her hand, which the princess took with a slight blush.

Anna paused when they reached the doorway. She bit her lip and stared at the floor. "You won't let the other pirates do anything to me…right?" her voice sounded small, timid, and Elsa just wanted to pull her into a protective embrace and shelter her from the world.

That would be strange, however, so she settled for squeezing the shorter girl's hand. "Most of the men are ashore right now," she said calmly, "But even if they weren't, I'd never let them touch you, you need not worry. You will always be safe with me, I promise."

Elsa was rewarded with a small smile and a dainty blush as Anna nodded. "Thank you, captain."

* * *

**Alright! I'm so happy you all enjoy this story! No, seriously, your reviews just make my day. On a side note, there's something awesome about writing pirate fiction while listening to the Pirate's of The Caribbean Soundtrack. So epic!**


	3. Chapter 3

Elsa guided the princess around the ship, showing her the galley, the infirmary, the navigation room, the supply stores, and finally, the bathing room (which Elsa had added on when she inherited the ship). It was surprisingly relaxing with most of her crew being absent. The blonde allowed herself to loosen up a little.

For the most part Anna seemed fascinated by everything on the ship, but was especially surprised by the functionality of the showers in the bathing room.

"So is it salt water?" she questioned, eyeing the faucet with intrigue.

Elsa shook her head. "Actually, we have a filtration system that purifies sea water through evaporation," she explained, placing a hand on the steel pipe, "There is a small metal hatch on the bottom of the ship that we can periodically open to take in a bit of water from the ocean, then the water is pipelined to our boiler room. There, it is evaporated and filtered into a separate pipeline that leads right here." Elsa finished with a proud tap to the faucet. She couldn't help being boastful of her ship. It was her pride and joy.

It also didn't hurt that she liked how impressed Anna seemed by everything. Seeing those wide teal eyes so full of wonder was a pleasant sight, indeed. "This is incredible," Anna breathed, "How did you come up with the idea?"

Elsa smiled sheepishly. "Honestly? I was tired of feeling dirty all the time."

"Oh?" Anna placed a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles.

The captain nodded eagerly, wanting to hear more of that tinkling laugh. "There is nothing worse than the smell of fifty dirty men in a confined space…" she exaggerated a shiver, "I still get nightmares just thinking about it sometimes."

Both burst out laughing, bubbling over with mirth. Elsa was surprised to see herself laughing and joking around so genuinely. It was different, a good different. She also thought the redhead's giggle was the sweetest sound she's ever heard, and vowed to hear more of it. "Hey, captain," the princess was still fighting off fits of laughter, "Do you want to know one of the first things I remember thinking about you and your crew?"

Elsa's smile faltered slightly. The laughter in her chest immediately died. _I hope it isn't anything bad…oh Neptune, of course it's something bad! _She finally managed an apprehensive nod.

Anna was still smiling, oblivious to the captain's inner turmoil. She clasped her hands together and swayed girlishly, a goofy smile on her face. "I remember being amazed at how hygienic you all were! I thought to myself 'Wow, these pirates look really clean cut', or something like that." She looked down shyly, "I wasn't expecting such a handsome captain and a tidy crew."

Elsa let out a quiet sigh of relief. _That's all it was…_She allowed a small smile to break forth. Anna truly was a special soul, she mused. She was also beautiful…very, very beautiful. Elsa felt nervous butterflies appear in the pit of her stomach, and made a valiant attempt to ignore them. _She's waiting on your response! _Her mind whirled around,_ she complimented your crew, now say something nice in return!_

"Really?" the captain's smile turned into a playful little smirk, "I'll have to tell them you said that. I'm sure the boys'll be thrilled to know a fine lady such as yourself appreciates their cleanliness."

A blush bloomed across freckled cheeks as Anna nervously tucked an invisible lock of hair behind her ear. "F-Fine lady? Me?" she mumbled shyly, "Oh, I-I don't think…I mean…"

Elsa watched as the girl's mouth mutely opened and closed a few times, finding it quite endearing. Everything about the princess was endearing, it seemed. That didn't bode well for Elsa, who had decided to maintain a safe distance. She cleared her throat. "Why don't we go to the main deck and get some air?" _Neptune knows I need some…_

It wasn't until they were up on the deck planks and taking in the sea breeze that Elsa realized Anna had called her handsome.

* * *

The princess leaned against the railing and took in the scenery. They were in a harbor surrounded by rocky cliffs and lush greenery. Tall forest trees and thick grass blanketed the inland. The water was blue and calm like glass, reflecting the images of white gulls as they circled overhead on the lazy breeze. She sighed contentedly. _It's almost as beautiful as home._ The thought felt like a weight on her stomach.

"Do you miss home?" the captain suddenly asked from his place beside her. He seemed to cringe at his own question. He shook his head. "Nevermind, that was a stupid thing to ask."

Anna didn't know what it was about him, but she want to tell the captain everything. About how she was being sent to marry some man that she'd never met before, about how she sometimes felt like the 'spare' child that her parents found dispensable. And about how she was afraid of never seeing her homeland again, never seeing her brother Andrew again, and being forced to become some prince's arm decoration for the rest of her days.

"That's not a stupid question," Anna corrected, offering him a smile. _Please _c_heer up, Elric…_ "If I were to say one thing that I miss the most, though…" she pressed her lips together in thought, "It would be my older brother, Andrew."

The captain paused for a moment, taking in the new information. He turned to her, his expression one of curiosity. "What is your brother like?"

"We're twins, actually. When we were younger, we were almost identical…he's taller than me now, though," Anna said, looking out at the sea as if she could see Arendelle on the horizon. _I wonder if Andrew misses me…Or if he even knows I'm gone._ "He is older than me by three minutes, but that makes all the difference when you're of royal blood, I guess. He's going to be king someday…"

Anna loved her brother. She was the only one that got to see behind the carefully placed mask of regality he was forced to wear for others. The real Andrew was cheery, he was kind, and though he was a bit clumsy (just like she was), he tried his hardest to make people happy. Too bad their parents tried to repress all of that with years of etiquette lessons and tutoring. The two siblings would find time to talk and play together when no one was looking. Recently, their time together had grown shorter and shorter...

"I'm sure he'll make a fine king if he is half as kind as you are." The blonde commented with a small smile. Anna really liked it when the captain smiled. His blue eyes would light up in the most _beautiful_ way.

"Thank you, captain." The princess said, "I'm sure he would appreciate you saying so."

The blonde's next words were interrupted by a blaring horn and a couple of rambunctious shouts. Both of them turned towards the ruckus to find a large frigate ship moving to dock next to them. Its hull was rose red with yellow trimming up the sides and along the railings.

"Well, well…looks like we got company," the captain muttered. Anna couldn't read the emotions on his face, his expression was guarded. She decided to just ask, after all, what's the worst that could come of it?

"Are those friends of yours?"

The blonde sighed and rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. "I guess you could say that. Their captain was a close friend of my parents."

_His parents…_Anna found herself wondering what kind of people they were, and made a note to ask about them later.

"As I live and breathe!" a deep voice bellowed, "It's _The Snow Queen_!"

The voice had come from a giant of a man, standing at the helm of the other ship. He was enormous; tall, with rippling muscles down his arms and all over his body. Anna was sure his biceps were bigger than her head. His dark hair was wild, falling in ruffles down his back, with a tiny little ribbon tied around a small section at the top. His eyes were dark blue, and he wore a head piece that looked a lot like a pair of horns.

"That's Captain Adam," the blonde whispered to her, "Though he's more commonly known as _the Beast_. His ship is named _The Beauty_."

_The Beauty and the Beast…_Anna couldn't shake the feeling that the two names together were quite poetic in some way.

"Beast! Fancy seeing you here," the blonde called, "Here for a bit of fun?"

"Aye," the large man boomed, "Permission to come aboard?"

The blonde nodded. "Permission granted."

Instead of using the gangways and the dock to board, the man just leapt from the bow of his ship and hoisted himself effortlessly over the edge of _The Snow Queen_. Anna was shocked at how nimble the man was.

The Beast looked around the vessel before giving an appreciative nod. "She's in fine shape, captain," he stated with admiration, "Fine shape."

The younger captain ran a hand along the railings. "Thank you. I try my best to keep her ticking like she should."

The big man chuckled, his laughter rumbling like thunder in his chest. "Your old man would be proud, no doubt. You make a fine captain, boy…No, I take that back. You have proven yourself a man now, and I should address you as such." He patted the blonde roughly on the shoulder, almost knocking him over. Anna was actually surprised he was able to endure it and remain standing upright. The Beast's hands were the size of cannon balls.

"Thanks, Beast," the young captain looked slightly uneasy, "It's reassuring to hear you say that."

"Speaking of which," his gaze fell to Anna. His eyes scanned her up and down, not leeringly, but appraisingly. He was sizing her up, trying to analyze and define her. "Who's the lass?"

The blonde straightened and put himself between the two. "She's a friend of mine." Anna paused at the captain's word choice. Why was he lying? Or maybe he really did consider her a friend of his. The thought made Anna inexplicably happy.

The big man didn't seem to buy it, however. "Friend, eh?" his eyes were drilling holes into both of them. "She's awfully refined lookin' to be hangin' out with you lot…"

Anna saw the younger captain's shoulders tense. It was then that the reality of the situation hit her. Anna was, essentially, a prize. She was a princess that could be ransomed back for a ridiculous sum of money. If the Beast, who was another pirate, knew this he would probably try to take her for himself so he could collect the ransom money. _Elric is protecting me by lying…right?_

The blonde clenched his fists at his sides. "Just say what you need to say and be done with it, mate." He growled out, his eyes narrowing in challenge.

The Beast grinned and held his giant hands up in surrender. "Easy there, I mean nothin' by it," he said, "My point has been proven now, though. With that kind of reaction, I doubt you two to be 'friends', as you put it." He wiggled his bushy eyebrows suggestively. "You _are_ at that age, after all…" he trailed off and sighed wistfully, "Ah, to be young again…"

* * *

Elsa felt herself gaping like a fish out of water. Her face felt hot, and the butterflies in her stomach had turned to crazy hornets. "W-What?!" she sputtered, cringing slightly at how shrill her voice sounded. _At this rate, it's a miracle I haven't been discovered yet._

Anna for her part looked just as surprised and embarrassed as she felt. Her beautiful freckles had become masked by a blush dark enough to match her hair. The princess fixed her dress awkwardly, pearly white teeth nibbling on soft pink lips. Elsa felt her eyes drift downward to watch the action. _So soft…_

Elsa froze._ Good god, get ahold of yourself! _Mooning over the girl like this only served to prove the grizzly man right. Not to mention the fact that even if she did fancy Anna, there was absolutely zero possibility of reciprocation. Plus, even if by some crazy chance that hell froze over and Anna did return her feelings, they could never be together. Elsa was a pirate, and pirates don't get princesses. Princes do.

That thought was enough to sober her up. "Please don't joke like that," she deadpanned, her voice authoritative, "She's very important to me." She hadn't meant to say that last part, it had slipped out before she could stop herself. What was wrong with her lately? Normally she had such perfect control over her feelings and actions. Now she had been reduced to a mess on the inside, and a blabbermouth on the outside.

The Beast grinned knowingly, deciding to back down. "Sorry mate, just wanted a bit o' fun," he shrugged good-naturedly, offering an apologetic smile to the redhead, "So, do you have a name, sweetheart?" he asked Anna.

Something about the man calling Anna 'sweetheart' didn't sit right with Elsa. It made the hornets come back, only this time they were angry. She felt her shoulders knot up uncomfortably. The princess looked a little surprised by the pet name as well. "My name is Anna," she replied quietly, "Just Anna."

A silence fell over the three of them. Several tense moments passed where not a word was spoken. Elsa wasn't sure what to make of it.

Then the Beast started to laugh. His voice echoed off the deck planks and shook the blonde's eardrums. "Ah, a right good time that is." He finally sobered, leaving the two women wondering what the heck he was on about. The man wiped at his forehead. "I apologize for playin' with you two like that," he said, "It's too much fun to mess with people."

Elsa still wasn't sure what he was talking about. The Beast was known for being entirely unpredictable, which was one of the reasons he had gotten the nickname in the first place. He was also very keen in his senses, which gave Elsa a bit of apprehension.

"What do you mean?" Anna asked, overcome by curiosity.

The Beast grinned, his sharpened canines gleaming. "Nothing at all, _your highness_."

Those words made Elsa's stomach drop into the sea. _Shit! He knows!_ She acted fast, drawing her cutlass swords and getting in front of Anna. There was no way in hell he'd get her while the blonde still drew breath. _I've officially gone insane,_ Elsa thought distantly, _drawing my sword against a family friend for the sake of a woman I've stolen away…Father must be rolling in his grave._

The Beast raised a bushy eyebrow. "Easy there, lad." He warned lowly, "I didn't come here to fight you."

Elsa relaxed her grip slightly. Only slightly, though. The man could be lying, and might try to lunge at her at any given moment. "How do I know you won't take her from me?" She eyed him warily. He tried to take a step forward, but she raised her blades to keep him at bay. "Swear it to me, Beast. Swear you won't take her."

The bulky man looked surprised at how serious Elsa was about protecting this girl. There was no doubt that Anna was important to her. Precious, even. He grinned and raised his right hand. "I give you my most solemn promise," he began playfully, "By the salt in my veins, and the wind at my back, that I will not take Anna away from you, Captain Elric." He lowered his hand. "Happy now, mate?"

Elsa nodded and sheathed her blades. The tension slowly drained out of her shoulders, leaving her feeling a bit exhausted. She turned back to check on Anna. The princess's face was unreadable, which made Elsa worry. _Does she think badly of me? Is she frightened?_ The blonde had so many questions she wanted to ask, but only managed a simple: "Are you alright?"

Luckily, the princess just nodded and gave her a small smile. Elsa felt much better after that.

"Hey Cap'n!" a loud voice slurred.

All three turned to find several men stumbling up the gangway. Elsa wanted to roll her eyes when she recognized them as part of her crew. No doubt a few of them were returning from the local tavern. _It seems they've had their share of rum tonight._ She thought with slight amusement as she noticed one man fall on the ground, only to continue on by crawling up the wooden planks like some kind of worm.

She froze when she noticed another man, whom she did not know. He was tall, muscular, with dark hair and dark eyes. He was also armed with a thick broad sword.

"Hey Cap'n," one of her men slurred again, "This bloke thinks that he can best you at the sword!" The rest of her crewmen shared a laugh. The man did not seem amused.

"My name is Mor'du, and I've come to make a wager," he stated, "I win, and I get your ship," Elsa was about to stop him, but he cut her off, "You win, and I give you a hundred chests of gold."

The blonde drew her cutlasses. She didn't like this man. Not one bit. First, he thinks that he's better than her, next he insults the value of her ship. _The Snow Queen is worth more than he could ever pay._ "You dare insult me and my ship?" she questioned lowly, eyes narrowed, "That's a death wish, mate."

He haughtily drew his sword and smiled. "That's only if I lose." He replied.

"Keep your gold," Elsa felt herself get fired up, "This just got personal."

* * *

Anna watched the two circle each other. Panic was gnawing away at her stomach and causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. Some of the crewmen sidled up next to her and the Beast to watch. She heard them all murmuring excitedly behind her, talking amongst themselves.

"It's been awhile since I seen the cap'n in action." One whispered.

"That poor man don't know what's comin' to 'im." Another added.

Anna turned around for a moment. The men ceased conversation as soon as they noticed her watching them. They eyed her warily, intimidating looks on their faces.

"Is the captain really that good?" she asked curiously, undeterred by their scary mugs. To be honest, she was a little worried, seeing as the man Elric was facing was almost twice his size.

The crew all broke into wide grins. "Is he good? Ha!" one of them chuckled, before his face grew serious, "Our captain fights like a devil with the face of a gentleman."

Another nodded quickly. "I never want to be opposite his blade, that's for sure!"

"It's like fightin' the hand of Death himself!" the first one added.

"Quiet, you lot!" a third shushed them, "It's starting!"

They all turned back just in time to see Mor'du lunge for the blonde, only to miss by a mile as the captain side-stepped. Anna was amazed by how effortless the movement looked.

The large man was not discouraged, however, and made to lunge at the blonde again. This time Mor'du was purposely tripped and fell to the deck with a loud thud. The young man stood there, waiting for him to get up. Anna felt a shiver when she took in the captain's expression. It was cold as ice.

"Tryin' to make a fool of me?!" the big man bellowed, leaping to his feet and slashing wildly at the captain.

The blonde once again avoided his blades with little effort. "You're the one making a fool of yourself." He stated, sidestepping another slash. As Anna watched, it almost appeared like a dance. The graceful movements of the blonde looked effortless and elegant. It was like a beautiful waltz.

Mor'du appeared to be tiring himself out, while Elric hadn't even broken a sweat. The large man grit his teeth. "Afraid of me, are ya?" he taunted the young captain, a dirty grin on his face, "Just like a wench!"

Anna saw something in the captain snap as the blonde became a blur. Within seconds, Mor'du was down on the planks again, this time with a sword pressed at his throat.

* * *

Elsa glared into this man's eyes. She knew that she'd won, but she still felt unnerved by his previous insult. Was he just trying to bait her? Or did he actually know something? She was cut out of her thoughts by the sound of coughing below her.

"Please, don't kill me," the man pleaded quietly. "You win."

Elsa glared and pressed the blade further into his gullet. The Pirate Code dictated that he had to die for insulting her and her ship, but she didn't like killing people. Fighting was all well and good for blowing off steam, but killing…she just didn't stomach it very well. Only Kristoff knew this, however.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't slit your throat right here." Elsa challenged lowly. Her crew cheered her on in the background.

"No! Wait, please!" Mor'du sputtered, "Please! I…I-I have information!"

Elsa rolled her eyes, and her crew continued to call for death behind her. She pressed the blade a little more, just enough to draw a few pricks of blood. "I don't need any information you might have."

The big man was groveling at this point. "N-No, please!" he cried, "I-I have information on the whereabouts of _The Weasel_!"

The entire ship fell deathly silent. "What do you know of The Weasel?" Elsa demanded, "Where is he?"

"I-In Corona last I heard!" Mor'du replied.

Elsa sheathed her blades and rose to her feet. This was it. She'd finally found a lead, and was back on the trail. She looked down at the now pitiful man, knowing that she couldn't just spare him after all he'd said and done. Her crew would lose all respect. Or worse, think her weak and grow suspicious. She couldn't have that.

"Right or left?" she asked him, willing her heart to freeze over for what she had to do.

Mor'du appeared confused by the question. "W-What?"

The Beast strode forward and unsheathed his sword. He lifted the large man with one hand and pressed the blade to his neck. "Did the captain stutter, worm?" he growled, "He asked you a question: right, or left?"

Mor'du's eyes darted all around frantically. "U-Uh, l-left?"

Elsa watched as the Beast grinned wickedly. It looked like she wouldn't have to carry out the punishment after all. "Excellent choice." The Beast stated. The monstrous man gripped Mor'du's left arm and yanked it outward. In the next moment, he cleaved the poor man's hand from his wrist, spilling blood all over the pristine deck.

Mor'du screamed and writhed on the wooden planks, clutching his stubby arm to his chest as blood continued to spill forth from it. Elsa gave her best glare at him, though she felt guilty for the man's sake. "Now get off my ship." She commanded lowly, watching the man jump up and scurry away, leaving a trail of blood behind him.

She turned around to face her crew, only to find a frightened looking Anna. The fear in those teal orbs felt like a knife to the heart. _Of course she's afraid of me, I just had a man's hand cut off!_ Elsa shook her head. It was better this way, she told herself. If Anna stayed away from her then she'd be better off.

Elsa addressed her crew. "We leave for Corona tomorrow morning." She ordered, "Make sure the rest of the crew know. And someone clean this blood off so it doesn't stain the deck."

She strode forward and took the princess' hand with the intention of guiding her back to the safety of her quarters. Another knife stabbed her heart when she felt the princess's delicate fingers trembling in her own. _Gods, I'm awful…_

Anna followed her back to the captain's cabin without resistance, and once inside, she walked over to her chair and sat. Elsa quietly followed suit and sat across from her on a wooden stool. It was almost like déjà vu, except now Anna was afraid of her. The princess stared at the floor vacantly.

Elsa wanted to apologize, no, she _needed_ to apologize. But how could she? What would she say? _I apologize for you seeing me put a blade to a man's throat and have his left hand cut off, it must've been quite a shock, huh?_ That would go over real well. Instead she opted for the only words she could think of at the moment.

"I'm sorry."

The princess looked up, teal eyes filled with uncertainty as they looked into her own. Anna looked away. "It looks like we're back to apologies, doesn't it?" she said after a moment.

Elsa nodded slowly. "I guess so."

Silence fell over them once more. It was deafening, suffocating, and Elsa just wanted to break down and beg for forgiveness. _So much for distance…so much for not caring…_She was weak. She was falling victim to her need to see Anna happy and smiling once more.

"I didn't want to kill him," she suddenly confessed, surprising even herself. But Anna had to know that she wasn't a killer, that Elsa did have a heart and a conscience. And that she didn't like to hurt people, especially Anna.

"I know." The princess finally whispered.

Elsa's eyes widened as the words registered in her brain. How could she know? Was it obvious? Did her crew notice too? All these questions were silenced when Anna spoke again.

"I could see it in your eyes," she said softly, looking up at her, "They're always so gentle and kind…I could see that you didn't want to hurt him, even though no one else noticed it."

Elsa didn't know how to respond to that. How had Anna been able to understand her like no one else had? She claimed that she could see it in her eyes, but Elsa knew that there was something more than that. A strange connection was forming between them, a dangerous one. If Elsa wasn't careful, her secret could be exposed. _That's another thing,_ Elsa reminded herself bitterly, _if she ever found out I was a woman acting as a man, she'd be utterly repulsed by me._ The blonde sighed, offering the princess a sad smile. The reality of the whole situation was heart wrenching to Elsa.

Anna could never love her.

* * *

**I hope you all still like this story...This chapter was difficult to write for some reason. Let me know what you think! :)  
**


	4. Chapter 4

Anna had 'skimmed' a few more of the stories on the captain's bookshelf, loving every last one of them. She was currently reading a book called _Treasure Island_, which was about a pirate named 'Long John Silver' who was searching for an island full of gold and riches. If the princess was truly being honest with herself, she would admit that she had developed a sudden fascination with pirates lately. But since she was still in partial denial at the moment, she told herself it had absolutely nothing to do with a certain blonde captain. Anna shook her head before turning the page.

"He should be back soon…" she murmured to herself as her eyes scanned the text in front of her. Elric had told her he would return as swiftly as possible.

Just as she finished that thought, the blonde captain strode into the room. He smiled when he saw the book she'd been reading. "Treasure Island, eh?" came the light tease, "What do you think of Long John Silver?"

Anna felt her cheeks redden and she put the book back in its place on the shelf. "He's nothing like you, captain." She finally said.

There was a silence as the blonde let her words sink in. Anna had begun to fear that they had been taken the wrong way. It was meant as just the opposite, really. In the story, Long John Silver was a ruthless pirate captain that commanded his crew with an iron fist. Captain Elric was…he was kind, and fair. And _gorgeous._

The blonde finally spoke. "Well, thank you," he said softly, "I was worried you thought ill of me after today."

Anna was quick to shake her head and reassure him that she understood that he did what was expected of him. He smiled slightly at that.

"It's impossible, you know," the captain said suddenly, his beautiful blue eyes gazing at the bookshelf, "To command a crew so harshly and selfishly like he did. A captain must respect his crew, must always carry their wishes in his heart, in order for them to truly respect and follow him."

Anna didn't know what to say. She was struck speechless by how noble that statement sounded. The captain's words could almost pass for those said by a monarch; a person of royal blood must always act in accordance with the will of the people. _I guess the same goes for pirate captains._

The blonde straightened, dusting off some invisible dirt from his dark blue jacket. "Anyway, a brief meeting is to be held in the navigation room to plot our course to Corona."

_A pirate meeting?_ Anna had to admit her curiosity was piqued. "Can I join you?" she asked innocently.

The captain eyed her warily for a moment. "I don't think that's a good idea…" he began.

"Pretty please?" Anna batted her eyelashes playfully. Her mother would admonish her for acting childish if she were present. The captain seemed taken aback by her as well, his eyes widening and his cheeks turning pink. Anna found it absolutely adorable.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, eyes gluing themselves to the ceiling. "I-If that is what you really want," he relented, "I suppose I can arrange it."

Overcome with excitement, Anna squealed happily and pulled him to her for a big hug. He was surprisingly slender. _And soft…_The captain squeaked and pulled away, eyes wide and face the color of a tomato. Suddenly they narrowed and the captain straightened with anger.

"Do not touch me again, princess," the blonde ordered harshly, voice shaking with what Anna could only imagine was irritation. He turned away from her. "Or else I will be forced to revoke my kindness."

Anna wilted, realizing her mistake. She'd obviously overstepped her bounds with the blonde. She had to apologize, to make things right again between them. "I'm sorry, captain," she murmured softly.

* * *

Elsa felt that familiar stirring of guilt in her chest when she heard Anna's quiet apology. She wanted to comfort the princess, to turn around and pull her into a close embrace and tell her not to be sorry for anything. But Elsa knew that she was treading thin ice right now. Anna had almost gotten too close, had almost found out her secret.

"It's quite alright," Elsa said, not turning around because she knew her control would give if she saw Anna right now. "We should be going now, though. Follow me, princess."

With that, she strode to the door, not looking back. She knew Anna was following her by the soft treading of delicate footsteps behind her. _Oh Neptune, how could I have not noticed such an adorable gait?_ She sighed the thought away. Her mind was becoming a treacherous place in the presence of the princess.

She opened the door to the navigation room, holding it open for Anna to enter first. The princess seemed a bit pleased by the show of courtesy, offering a flushed smile in thanks. Elsa reveled in the small victory.

The victory was short lived, when she found the other occupants of the room in the midst of a heated argument over different kinds of rum. They all completely ignored the two new occupants.

"I wouldn't wash the hole o' my ass with that French shit!" Hawkeye growled, slamming his fist down on the table. A few rolls of paper were knocked to the floor.

Elsa noticed that Anna had sidled closer to her, eyes wide and a bit nervous as she watched on.

The Beast snarled, the bulging muscles in his arms flexing wildly. "You probably don't even wash the hole of your ass, boy!"

Kristoff sat in the corner, looking slightly uncomfortable. The man never had a stomach for arguments.

"Ehem!" Elsa cleared her throat loudly, silencing the room and drawing everyone's attention, "Now that pleasantries have been settled, let's get down to business."

Everyone mumbled in agreement, gathering around the table. A large naval map lay sprawled across the surface, various pins of all colors stuck into the yellowing parchment.

A brown haired man with a fancy mustache narrowed his eyes at Anna. "What's _a woman _doing here?" he grumbled accusingly.

Elsa placed a protective hand on the princess' shoulder. Anna looked hurt by the man's comment, which did not sit well with the blonde. She raised a challenging eyebrow to the man. _If only he knew! Ha!_

"She's here because I want her to be." she declared firmly, staring him down.

He immediately backed down under the scolding blue eyed gaze.

The Beast grinned knowingly but said nothing. Elsa cleared her throat and approached the table.

"Alright, here's the plan," she ran a hand over the map, "We leave tomorrow morning for Corona. Now, if the wind's in our favor then we should reach the very edge of Dun Broch by tomorrow evening."

All the men nodded obediently, which urged Elsa to continue explaining her plan. If there was one thing she knew, it was the seas. No one understood the waters and winds like she did, and she reveled in it. Even Anna seemed impressed (not that Elsa was trying to impress her or anything).

"However, I propose we take a short cut, right here." Elsa pointed to a small water way that sliced through Dun Broch on the map. "It will decrease our travel time by nearly half."

The whole room suddenly broke into uproar then. Noise spanned from worried mumblings to outraged complaints. Anna seemed a little unnerved by all the shouting, her hand reaching out to grasp Elsa's forearm. The blonde unconsciously took a step closer to the princess.

"You're mad!" the pompous man with the fancy mustache exclaimed.

"Shut it, Cogsworth!" The Beast suddenly snarled.

"But captain, he's trying to get us all killed!" Cogsworth complained.

"If yer that worried about my cap'n's decision, I'll be glad to just off ya now!" Hawkeye spat back at him, drawing a dagger out of his boot.

Anna glanced up at Elsa with worry etched onto her face. "Why is everyone fighting?" she asked in a whisper.

Elsa bent over slightly so that her lips were next to Anna's ear. "Because I just said something crazy." She murmured back.

The Beast slammed a giant fist on the table, silencing everyone. He turned to address Elsa. "Now, Captain Elric, are you being serious in your suggestion?" he asked evenly.

Elsa straightened her shoulders, attempting to appear as authoritative and firm as possible. "Of course I am. No one knows the seas like I do, and you know it."

"True words, boy," The Beast said with a slight chuckle, "And if there's one man I'd sail through The Bear's Teeth with, it'd be you."

Elsa smiled gratefully. "So it's settled then?"

The Beast grinned, his two gold canines glinting in the light. "Aye. Hope you're ready."

Cogsworth gulped loudly. "Sir, you can't be serious! The Bear's Teeth is nearly impossible to sail through!"

The large man just laughed heartily, clapping the thin man on the shoulder. "What's life without a challenge, eh?" he gazed at Elsa once more, grave sincerity appearing behind the mirthful curtain in his eyes. "Plus, we got a timetable to keep, eh lad?"

Elsa returned his gaze and nodded. "That we do, friend."

The Weasel would not escape this time. Elsa swore to herself that she would not let him slip through her fingers again. This time she was older, wiser, and had The Beast by her side. Yes, this time she would succeed.

* * *

Anna followed the captain down to the galley. The kitchens were surprisingly empty, but then again most of the crew was still ashore.

"You'll have to forgive my cooking skills," the captain apologized, gaze falling to the floor, "I'm afraid it's been awhile since I had to prepare anything in a kitchen. Normally our chef makes everything."

Anna smiled at how shy the blonde was being, all while feeling herself rising to the challenge of cooking. _Finally, something from mother's lessons that I can actually use._ The Queen had made sure that Anna had been tutored in all the 'homemaking' arts. According to her, it was vital that Anna knew how to cook, clean, and sew for her future husband. That didn't stop the princess from being extremely clumsy in nearly everything she tried. Anna cringed internally.

"Here captain," she grabbed a kitchen knife and handed it to him, "You can chop up the vegetables, seeing as how you're so skilled with blades and all." _And I can't really be trusted with dangerous objects,_ she added mentally.

The captain looked a bit surprised at being directed, but nodded with a small smile. The blonde proceeded to gather some of the vegetables that Anna had pointed to, slicing them into perfectly uniform pieces. Anna silently admired Elric's precision and concentration.

The redhead began gathering up some spices to make a decent broth to boil the vegetables in. They both worked in slightly awkward silence. Both wanted to say something, but neither knew what to say. Finally, Anna broke the ice.

"So…" she began conversationally, "Who's The Weasel?"

She had asked the wrong question apparently, because the captain's shoulders suddenly tensed and the chopping sounds of the knife stopped. After a pause, the blonde continued working. "Why do you wish to know?" the captain questioned.

Anna detected the defensiveness in his voice and knew that she had to be careful with her next words. She paused to think and added another dash of salt to the broth.

"I was just curious," she opted for honesty. It was the best policy after all, right? "I want to know more about you."

* * *

Elsa felt her heart stir in her chest at the princess' admission. _She actually wants to get to know me?_ A small smile spread across her lips. "Tell me something about yourself first, princess." She asked, hoping that Anna would go along with it because she wanted to learn more about the beautiful redhead.

Anna hummed thoughtfully, adding some of the vegetables Elsa had chopped to the broth. The ease with which they cooked together was not lost on either of them. The domesticity of it all was surprisingly pleasant.

"Alright then," Anna said with a nod, "My favorite color is blue and I like to draw. Now you go."

Elsa chuckled a bit at Anna's silly gesture, as if she'd been introducing herself to some dignitary. _Two can play at that game._ "Very well then," she thought for a moment, "My favorite color is also blue, and I enjoy swimming." Elsa honestly couldn't remember the last time she swam just for fun. After all, in her position, swimming was dangerous to her secret. She did love it all the same.

Anna looked intrigued. "You like to swim?" she asked, gazing up at Elsa with curious eyes.

The blonde nodded. "Indeed I do. There's something about immersing yourself in the water, letting it envelope your senses…I feel as if I'm one with the sea." Her eyes were locked with Anna's, as if their gazes were magnets. The room seemed to grow smaller, the air heavier.

The princess seemed to notice the fact that they were staring at each other for longer than was deemed appropriate and dropped her gaze to the floorboards. "I don't know how to swim." She admitted quietly.

A feeling of boldness rose up within Elsa, and she cupped her fingers underneath Anna's chin, lifting it so their eyes met once more. "I could teach you." She offered, her voice even lower than normal. Her tone sounded breathy, almost seductive in pitch.

A beautiful blush spread across freckle dusted cheeks as the princess backed away. Their eyes never left each other. "I-I…I think the stew is ready." She mumbled out, her cheeks still red. She quickly turned away to get some bowls and ladle some of the stew in each. Elsa couldn't help but note that her hands trembled slightly.

The blonde suddenly felt displeased with herself. She'd made Anna feel uncomfortable. Yet again. _I seem to have a knack for upsetting her._ Elsa mentally scolded herself for being so forward. With a princess, no less! Someone that she could never have in a million years.

They both sat at a wooden table with their bowls of stew, slowly eating in silence. Elsa decided that she must rectify the situation before Anna actually resented her.

"The stew is quite good." _See? Compliments are nice, polite, and safe for normal conversation_.

Anna smiled shyly. "Thank you. My mother made sure I was schooled in cooking."

Elsa nodded, filing that bit of information away for later. "Did she also have you schooled in drawing?"

Anna shook her head. "No, she actually would scold me if she knew I liked such a useless activity." That didn't sit right with Elsa.

"It's not useless if it's something you enjoy." Elsa assured her firmly. "Things that bring you happiness are things that make life worth living." That was something her father always said. It made Anna smile genuinely, her eyes seemed to sparkle in the light. _She is so beautiful when she smiles like that._

"Thank you, captain." Anna took a coy sip of her stew, "Perhaps I'll show you my work sometime."

The flirtatious tone of her voice was not lost on Elsa. _Was that a wink? _Suddenly she felt like her heart was starting a riot in her chest. Anna was flirting with her. Her throat felt very dry, so she took a hearty spoonful of her stew. Which turned out to be a bad idea, because it was still quite hot and burned against her parched esophagus. She sputtered and started coughing.

Anna stood up and moved to pat her back, concern etched onto her pretty face. "I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" she questioned with worry.

Elsa nodded, her face burning with embarrassment. She was truly lucky her crewmen weren't there to see her, lest she become the laughing stock of the ship.

"I'm…ehem…I'm fine," Elsa managed, "And yes, I would enjoy seeing some of your drawings."

Anna grinned excitedly, the debacle seconds ago quickly forgotten. "Oh good, I have some really neat ones that I've been working on."

Elsa smiled fondly, and was about to reply when the galley door slammed open.

"Hey we caught a whiff o' that tasty stew!" Hawkeye called as he and some other men clomped down the stairs. The Beast smacked him on the head.

"Look who you're talking to before you speak boy!" he growled, pointing to the two sitting at the table.

Hawkeye blanched when he saw Elsa. "C-Cap'n!" he sputtered in shock, "M-My apologies, cap'n. Normally Gerda's the one who does the cooking 'round here."

Elsa stood up and nodded. Gerda was the ship's cook and nurse, and coincidently the only woman allowed to work on the ship. She was a portly old lady who'd looked after Elsa ever since she was born, which made her like a second mother. She was also one of two people on the entire ship that knew her secret, the other being her childhood friend Kristoff.

"Calm yourself, Hawkeye. I take no offense," Elsa diffused the tension quickly, "Gerda left for the mainland to order more supplies. She'll be back by first light."

Kristoff came down the stairs and smiled at everybody. "I heard there was stew?"

Elsa rolled her eyes and pointed. "Yes, you mongrels, there's stew right over there," then with a bit of cheek, she added, "And you lot better treat it like gold, because it was made by the princess."

That seemed to set all of them off scrambling towards the large kettle, shoving each other out of the way to try and fill their bowls. The Beast waited a few moments before plowing his way to the front of the group.

Anna watched on with a mix of surprise and amusement. It was almost like watching a bunch of puppies trying to eat from the same bowl. "Are they always like that with food?"

Elsa shook her head and sighed. "I'm afraid so," she grinned, "But even more so when it's food made by a lady's delicate hands."

Anna giggled and her cheeks turned pink.

Kristoff joined them at their table with a smile and a bowl of stew. He nodded to Elsa. "Captain," he greeted, then nodded to Anna, "Princess."

Anna smiled at him. "Hi, um…"

"Kristoff." He supplied easily, "I'm the quartermaster of this fine vessel."

Anna's eyes lit up. "Oh, you're the captain's second in command, right? I read that from a pirate book."

Elsa fought off a smile at Anna's curiosity. It was quite adorable.

The Beast joined them at the table. He nodded a greeting to everyone. "Been reading up on our way of life, have you?" he asked the princess, who nodded in response.

The large man chuckled heartily. "Just don't believe everything you read, alright lass? We are actually quite an honorable bunch." At that moment, a loud belch was heard at another table, followed by rancorous cheering.

Kristoff smiled sheepishly. "Most of the time, anyway." The scruffy blonde man added.

Elsa straightened her jacket and picked up her empty bowl, depositing it in the sink. "Well mates, I have a letter to write to Arendelle," She still had to give correspondence on where the deal would take place, "I'd best be off."

She left Anna to Kristoff and The Beast. She knew that they would look out for her in case anything happened. Plus, Anna seemed to like being around them. The princess was asking a multitude of questions, which they seemed quite obliged to answer.

Right now, Elsa steeled herself for the ransom letter she had to write. It wasn't something she wanted to do, but it had to be done. The princess didn't belong with her, she belonged back home in her kingdom, with her people. Elsa wouldn't rob that life away from her.

No matter how much she wanted Anna to stay.

* * *

**I'm back! Sorry for the long wait everyone. As I said in my Agent Anna posting yesterday, I've been trapped in the hellish torrent that is summer college classes. But here it is! Hopefully you won't have to wait forever for the next update, yeah?**


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